The genetic diversity of human noroviruses detected in river water in Korea

We studied the genetic diversity of human noroviruses in river waters by RT-nested PCR and phylogenetic analysis. During 2002–2003, water samples were collected from four rivers in Gyeonggi Province, South Korea. Among the 58 samples, 32 (55.2%) and 26 (44.8%) showed positive results with noroviruses belonging to genogroups I (GI) and II (GII), respectively. The phylogenetic analysis grouped 8 and 7 genotypes in GI and GII, respectively. The major types were GI/1, GI/13, and GII/15, and GI/1 and GI/3 were temporarily distributed. Most GI- and GII-grouped strains were closely related to the reference strains from neighboring countries, China and Japan, and GII/4-related strains had similar sequences to strains recognized as worldwide epidemic outbreaks. The strains circulating between countries are of particular concern to the outbreaks of noroviral diseases in Korea and must be periodically monitored in the natural environments.